GB Values

Red Shield

The Red shield’s credibility was built over the years through hard work and excellence shown by the Gracie Barra students, athletes and instructors involved in sport Jiu-Jitsu competitions, teaching programs and community work.

Fight Song

Sea of Red

Wearing the red shirt is saying it loudly to the world: I BELIEVE IN GRACIE BARRA.

The Red Shirt seeks to promote a sense of unity among the members of the GB team around the world. It promotes unity, support, equality, identity, philosophy and proud of being part of GB team. Wearing the red shirt is saying: I am part of GB Team.

Founder

Reg Directors

The develop- ment of Gracie Barra’s presence in a new territory starts through the work of a leader. Expansion and movement into different territories or areas usually starts with one school, then eventually spreads out to several other locations as students of the originating school decide to follow in the steps of their mentors.

Senior Ranks

The Gracie Barra Legacy Award was created by Master Carlos Gracie Jr. as recognition for the loyalty, support, commitment, and hard work of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu professors who have been working to build Gracie Barra for 25 years or more.

Professors

The Gracie Barra legacy is one of many champions built by great Professors and Masters. Beyond the Jiu-Jitsu contest arena. Lessons taught by our instructors have impacted positively the lives of hundreds of communities and thousands of people over the years.

Instructors

Gracie Barra Instructors are held responsible to high standards of etiquette, instruction and philosophy set by Master Carlos Gracie Jr. and the Gracie Barra Association. To maintain the integrity and focus on safety in our schools, all of our instructors are certified. Additionally, our instructors are all required to be CPR/Basic First Aid certified.

Athletes

Athletics within Gracie Barra builds community and pride through the engagement of students, staff, parents, and friends, and creates a portal through which everyone can enjoy the GB experience. Successful athletic performance generates a unique excitement across the Gracie Barra Schools and community, help strengthen bonds among the various arms of our organization, build students loyalty in a healthy manner, and give Gracie Barra members yet another reason to be proud to represent the legacy of Master Carlos Gracie Jr. and defend the red shield.

Benefits

One of the messages that I absorbed from the Gracie Barra ICP was how many of the senior instructors from different areas of the Gracie Barra word emphasized the point: “You must always remain open to learning. The learning never stops in jiu-jitsu!”

This message was really brought home to me recently when I had a black belt from another country visit my academy when he was on holiday. I invited the black belt professor to be a guest instructor for that class knowing that the students would enjoy seeing some different variations on techniques.

The instructor showed the most basic side control escape where the bottom player replaces the guard with a knee inside. Basic stuff and nothing new to see here right?

Wrong!

The instructor showed a small detail to create space for the bottom player to place a hook. I had been studying jiu-jitsu for 20 years and this was the 1st time I had seen this detail!

Often, when using this escape in the past, I would get stuck in a certain position and just thought that it was the difficult part of the technique. But here was a solution that was right under my nose all this time! He pointed out in his initial explanation of the technique. I immediately got right down on the mat and asked “Hey, Let me try that!”.

Perfect! Another piece of the puzzle.

In fact, I saw 2 more details to techniques that I had been doing for many years of jiu-jitsu that made those “old” techniques sharper and new again. I am an enthusiastic supporter of seminars when a visiting high level instructor visits your city. At most seminars that I’ve attended, the instructor invites open questions at the end of the session on any topic of jiu-jitsu.

I recommend that you take your BEST position. The position that you know inside and out, that you know you can hit successfully in sparring. Now ask the instructor if he can add any details or advice for a sharper execution.

I bet that you will be astonished at some of the simple details the instructor will show you that immediately improve your already strong technique.
You will palm your forehead “Oh! That is the real way to do it! I’m never doing it my old way again!!”

The truth is that jiu-jitsu is so deep that a training session spent with a senior instructor can continue to reveal new details and nuances of techniques that you have been performing for years.

It is easy to think that we know all there is to know about the basic techniques or our best positions.
Remember the advice of the senior instructors to keep an open mind and you will continue to deepen your knowledge of jiu-jitsu throughout all of your time on the mats.